A runaway bestseller in Britain with over 100,000 copies sold, a riveting historical mystery in the tradition of Kate Morton

In Rachel Hore's A Place of Secrets, auction house appraiser Jude leaves London for her dream job at Starbrough Hall, an estate in the countryside, examining and pricing the manuscripts and instruments of an eighteenth-century astronomer. She is welcomed by Chantal Wickham and Jude feels close to the old woman at once: they have both lost their husbands. Hard times have forced the Wickham family to sell the astronomer's work, their land and with it, the timeworn tower that lies nearby. The tower was built as an observatory for astronomer Anthony Wickham and his daughter Esther, and it served as the setting for their most incredible discoveries.

Though Jude is far away from her life in London, her arrival at Starbrough Hall brings a host of childhood memories. She meets Euan, a famed writer and naturalist who lives in the gamekeeper's cottage at the foot of the tower, where Jude's grandfather once lived. And a nightmare begins to haunt her six-year-old niece, the same nightmare Jude herself had years ago. Is it possible that the dreams are passed down from one generation to the next? What secrets does the tower hold? And will Jude unearth them before it's too late?

Hore once again shows her gift for bringing the past to life: her understanding of memory, stories and craft is as strong here as in The Memory Garden.Waterstone's Books Quarterly

Rachel Hore's intriguing Richard and Judy recommended read, which is layered with a series of mysteries, some more supernatural than others.Independent

Listener Opinions

Denise | 2/17/2014

" This is the first book that I have read by Rachel Hore. I enjoyed the characters - especially Jude. The audible production was excellent. Jude works for an auction house with an expertise in historical manuscripts. She finds herself on an assignment at Starbrough Hall to look over items left by Astronomer Anthony Wickham from the 18th century. Mystery unfolds that happens to be connected to her own life. This was a wonderful book and I look forward to more from Rachel Hore. "

Amy | 2/13/2014

" Fantastic read...Kate Morton fans will love it. I know I did! "

Ula | 2/12/2014

" Love, love the atmosphere of this book. It was my first by this author and I really loved it! "

Kathleen | 2/5/2014

" I had fairly high hopes for this novel, but was ultimately disappointed. It has all the elements of a good story, but there isn't any life in it. The magic that really brings a story to life just isn't there. "

Annette | 1/28/2014

" I picked up this book, because it was suggested as being similar to Kate Morton style writing. I did not see this as the case. The first half of the book was very enjoyable, but the second half was just too much of what could have been a good thing. By the end of the story, every one is connected to everyone else. The "coincidences" are very overdone and become tedious. This could have been an excellent book, but just ended up being more of a sugary sweet story that left every end tied up too neatly. "

Mary | 1/27/2014

" Loved the plot, hated the juvenile romance novel aspect. "

Cinsoares | 1/20/2014

" This mystery/romance is a quiet but enjoyable read. It's interesting from a historical standpoint and the characters are well developed. The ending, however, I felt was a bit too convenient. It might have been more interesting if a few of the questions had been left unanswered. "

Sarah | 1/12/2014

" I really enjoyed this book. Tons of "coincidences" among all the connections as the whole came together, but somehow the author managed to pull it off without going over the top or making it unbelievable... "

Annie Gwin | 12/9/2013

" it was a good read towards the middle and end. it was slow at the beginning but turned out a good read. "

Mary | 12/3/2013

" I love a good Gothic mystery. Great characters, good plot. A few loose ends but overall a very good read. "

Humaira | 11/20/2013

" A mystery crossed with chick lit. Thought it was going to be more mysterious by the nature of the cover and the review on the back. Fairly easy reading though and enough to keep me awake to want to finish it the same night. "

Amy Christensen davis | 7/31/2013

" I really loved this book! It was very well written and kept my interest at all times! "

Melissa | 7/16/2013

" It was a tedious and very slow read. Too bogged down with details. "

Carol | 6/30/2013

" Set in England, good story about star gazing centuries ago and subsequent discoveries. Lots thrown in...family story about how it is all related and the many secrets a family keeps. "

Heather | 6/8/2013

" I liked it a lot but it felt way too long. There seemed to be a lot of repetition. Still, I'd pick up another book by this author. "

Diane Friswell | 6/7/2013

" Two story lines running alongside each. Enjoyed the storyline. "

Anne Marie | 4/16/2013

" This was not good, badly written, cheesy, too long. "

Suzan Poisner | 2/19/2013

" This was an interesting story that explored a mystery that took over 240 years to unfold. While I enjoyed most of the story lines, I did not get into the hint of supernatural that crept in through various dream sequences. "

Julie | 1/17/2013

" A great book. The story is mesmerizing and keeps you on your toes until the end. "

Penny | 10/23/2012

" Multi-layer mystery with some interesting story lines. All mysteries are neatly tied up by the end. "

Grace Sheese | 10/22/2012

" This was a good book that was easy to read and easy to like. I don't know that this will be the most memorable book I've ever read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. "

Veronica Sanche | 6/25/2012

" A thoroughly enjoyable novel that has great characters and the plot is quite complex with several surprises at the end. It is a bit long and should have been edited as it gets a bit boring and repetitive in places. "

Joan 2 | 6/12/2012

" While the story was good and I wanted to know how it all turned out, it moved so slowly that it took me an unusually long time to read. I was getting frustrated! Looking back now, I wish I never started. "

About the Narrator

Jilly Bond has worked extensively in theater and radio for many years. Her stage credits include Miranda in The Tempest, Fiona in When I Was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout, and Anita in A Small Family Business. She is regularly heard in dramas for Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. She has won two AudioFile Earphones Awards for her audiobook narration.

[ShoppingCartItemsAddedOnMerge] audiobook(s) were left in your cart from a previous visit, and saved to your account for your convenience. You may view or remove these audiobooks on the shopping cart page.